Numbers 3:20

Numbers 3:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the sons of Merari by their families; Mahli, and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to the house of their fathers.
• New International Version (NIV)The Merarite clans: Mahli and Mushi. These were the Levite clans, according to their families.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the sons of Merari by their clans: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites, by their fathers' houses.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And the sons of Merari by their families: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites by their fathers’ houses.

Context of Numbers 3:20

18The clans descended from Gershon were named after two of his descendants, Libni and Shimei. 19The clans descended from Kohath were named after four of his descendants, Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. The clans descended from Merari were named after two of his descendants, Mahli and Mushi. These were the Levite clans, listed according to their family groups. 21The descendants of Gershon were composed of the clans descended from Libni and Shimei. 22There were 7,500 males one month old or older among these Gershonite clans.

Numbers 3:20 word by word

וּבְנֵ֧י מְרָרִ֛י לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם מַחְלִ֣י וּמוּשִׁ֑י אֵ֥לֶּה הֵ֛ם מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת הַלֵּוִ֖י לְבֵ֥ית אֲבֹתָֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And the sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of Merariמְרָרִיmerârîy · MerariH4847
• by their familiesמִשְׁפָּחָהmishpâchâh · familyH4940
• Mahliמַחְלִיmachlîy · MahliH4249
• and Mushiמוּשִׁיmûshîy mûshshîy · MushiH4187
• areהֵ֫מָּהhêm hêmmâh · they(masc.)H1992
• of the Levitesלֵוִיlêvîyîy lêvîy · LeviH3881
• according to the houseבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: householdH1004
• of their fathersאָב'âb · fatherH1

Cross-references for Numbers 3:20

• Numbers 3:33The descendants of Merari were composed of the clans descended from Mahli and Mushi.
• Exodus 6:19The descendants of Merari included Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites, as listed in their family records.
• 1 Chronicles 6:19The descendants of Merari included Mahli and Mushi. The following were the Levite clans, listed according to their ancestral descent:
• 1 Chronicles 15:6From the clan of Merari, 220, with Asaiah as their leader.
• 1 Chronicles 23:21The descendants of Merari included Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli were Eleazar and Kish.
• 1 Chronicles 24:27From the descendants of Merari through Jaaziah, the leaders were Beno, Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri.
• 1 Chronicles 25:3From the sons of Jeduthun, there were Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six in all. They worked under the direction of their father, Jeduthun, who proclaimed God’s messages to the accompaniment of the lyre, offering thanks and praise to the Lord.

Commentaries on Numbers 3:20

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-39Verses 14-39 The Levites were in three classes, according to the sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari; and these were subdivided into families. The posterity of Moses were not at all honoured or privileged, but stood upon the level with other Levites; thus it was plain, that Moses did not seek the advancement of his own family, or to secure any honours to it. The tribe of Levi was by much the least of all the tribes. God's chosen are but a little…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14-39This first phase of a two-part registration of the tribe of Levi summarized each family's special duties. 4:1–33 describes this in more detail (see 4:34–49 for the second phase). This count did not relate to military duties, so it included male Levites from the age of one month (3:40–41). Three family groups descend from the three sons of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. These clans, often called the Gershonites, Kohathites, and Merarites, later…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 14-3114-31. Number the children of Levi--They were numbered as well as the other tribes; but the enumeration was made on a different principle--for while in the other tribes the number of males was calculated from twenty years and upward [Nu 1:3], in that of Levi they were counted "from a month old and upward." The reason for the distinction is obvious. In the other tribes the survey was made for purposes of war [Nu 1:3], from which the Levites were totally…Read the comment

Topics related to Numbers 3:20

• Census
• Gershon
• Levites

In the dictionaries

• Chief
• Conclude
• Custody
• Encamp
• Merarites
• Mushi
• O
• Secure
• Seek
• Sinai

Commentaries on Numbers 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings